Doug Emhoff Says Kamala Harris 'Always Steps Up' for His Children, Cole and Ella: 'Those Kids Are Her Priorities'

Mar. 15, 2025

Doug Emhoff in 2024.Photo:Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty

Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty

Second gentlemanDoug Emhoffshared several personal anecdotes during his speech at theDemocratic National Conventionon Tuesday, Aug. 20.Emhoff, 59, took the stage in Chicago to give viewers a deeper understanding of his upbringing — and his relationship to his wife, Vice PresidentKamala Harris, who is currently running for president alongside Minnesota Gov.Tim Walz.After talking about his childhood in suburban New Jersey, and the series of jobs he worked to put himself through law school in Los Angeles — including waiting tables, parking cars and working at McDonald’s — he shared why Harris “was exactly the right person for me at an important moment in my life.“Doug Emhoff and Kamala Harris on the Democratic National Convention stage on Aug. 19, 2024.Justin Sullivan/GettyEmhoff met Harris, 59, in 2013 on a blind date, and got married to her the following year. He has twochildren, Cole, 29, and Ella, 25, from his previous marriage toKerstin Emhoff, whom Harris considers a close friend.“Those of you who belong to blended families know that they can be a little complicated, but as soon as our kids started calling her Momala, I knew we’d be okay,” Emhoff said in his speech, adding that Ella calls him, Kerstin and Harris a “three-headed parenting machine.“Kamala Harris hugs stepchildren Ella and Cole Emhoff at her vice presidential inauguration in 2021.OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via GettyEmhoff explained how Harris earned the trust of his kids and their friends after joining the family.“Now Cole and Ella’s friends knew that when they’d come over for Sunday dinner with Momala, it was going to be real talk,” he said. “In between taking cooking instructions, they’d have to answer questions about what problem they wanted to solve in the world. They learned that you always got to be prepared, because Kamala is going to prosecute the case.“He then talked about the honor Harris felt being asked to officiate Cole’s wedding to Greenley Littlejohn in October 2023.“In the same breath that Cole and Greenley told us that they were engaged, they asked Kamala to officiate their wedding. And in the same way that she always steps up when it matters, Kamala put so much into those remarks and she bound them in a book that matcher her dark red dress, and then turned that into a gift for the happy couple,” he said.Harris told PEOPLE shortly after the wedding that being asked to join their ceremony “meant so much for so many reasons.“Ella and Cole Emhoff attend the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19, 2024.Chip Somodevilla/GettyEmhoff shared that Ella and Harris still find time to talk regularly amid the family’s whirlwind experience on the campaign trail.“A few days ago, during this incredible time we’re going through, there was a brief window when Kamala was back at home. I saw her sitting in her favorite chair, and in the middle of a wild month, I just hoped that she was having a quiet moment to herself. But then I realized she was on the phone,” Emhoff said.“And of course my mind went to all the potential crises that the vice president could be dealing with. Was it domestic? Was it foreign? Was it campaign? I could see she was focused, and all I knew was that it must be something important,” he continued. “And it turns out it was — Ella had called her. That’s Kamala. Those kids are her priorities, and that scene was a perfect map of her heart. She’s always been there for our children, and I know she’ll always be there for yours, too.“Before becoming second gentleman, Emhoff was also a lawyer. When Harris announced her 2020 primary campaign for the presidency, Emhoff took a leave of absence from his law firm to support her. When she instead joined the Democratic ticket as Joe Biden’s running mate and was successfully elected to the vice presidency, Emhoff announced that he would leave his firm to join her in Washington.Since becoming second gentleman in 2021, Emhoff has been teaching at Georgetown University Law Center.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Like his wife, who made history as the first woman, first Indian American and first Black vice president, Emhoff made history in more ways than just being the first second gentleman.Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris, Tim and Gwen Walz in 2024.Chip Somodevilla/GettyEmhoff is the first Jewish spouse of any president of vice president, and made historylighting the White House menorahwhilecelebrating Hanukkah in 2021. He also lit the national menorah that year.The second gentleman is also an outspoken opponent of antisemitism — an issue that he’s said Harris encouraged him to take on in his role.“I know I have an obligation to our Jewish community as the first Jewish person in this role,” he previously said in January during an interview withCNN’s Wolf Blitzer.“There’s high expectations and there’s a lot of accountability — I take that extremely seriously. So, no matter how bad I might be feeling personally, it’s not going to stop me from continuing to use my voice, this microphone, to advocate against antisemitism, against hate, and to push our coalitions back together so we can fight this thing together.”

Second gentlemanDoug Emhoffshared several personal anecdotes during his speech at theDemocratic National Conventionon Tuesday, Aug. 20.

Emhoff, 59, took the stage in Chicago to give viewers a deeper understanding of his upbringing — and his relationship to his wife, Vice PresidentKamala Harris, who is currently running for president alongside Minnesota Gov.Tim Walz.

After talking about his childhood in suburban New Jersey, and the series of jobs he worked to put himself through law school in Los Angeles — including waiting tables, parking cars and working at McDonald’s — he shared why Harris “was exactly the right person for me at an important moment in my life.”

Doug Emhoff and Kamala Harris on the Democratic National Convention stage on Aug. 19, 2024.Justin Sullivan/Getty

Justin Sullivan/Getty

Emhoff met Harris, 59, in 2013 on a blind date, and got married to her the following year. He has twochildren, Cole, 29, and Ella, 25, from his previous marriage toKerstin Emhoff, whom Harris considers a close friend.

“Those of you who belong to blended families know that they can be a little complicated, but as soon as our kids started calling her Momala, I knew we’d be okay,” Emhoff said in his speech, adding that Ella calls him, Kerstin and Harris a “three-headed parenting machine.”

Kamala Harris hugs stepchildren Ella and Cole Emhoff at her vice presidential inauguration in 2021.OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty

Emhoff explained how Harris earned the trust of his kids and their friends after joining the family.

“Now Cole and Ella’s friends knew that when they’d come over for Sunday dinner with Momala, it was going to be real talk,” he said. “In between taking cooking instructions, they’d have to answer questions about what problem they wanted to solve in the world. They learned that you always got to be prepared, because Kamala is going to prosecute the case.”

He then talked about the honor Harris felt being asked to officiate Cole’s wedding to Greenley Littlejohn in October 2023.

“In the same breath that Cole and Greenley told us that they were engaged, they asked Kamala to officiate their wedding. And in the same way that she always steps up when it matters, Kamala put so much into those remarks and she bound them in a book that matcher her dark red dress, and then turned that into a gift for the happy couple,” he said.

Harris told PEOPLE shortly after the wedding that being asked to join their ceremony “meant so much for so many reasons.”

Ella and Cole Emhoff attend the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 19, 2024.Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Emhoff shared that Ella and Harris still find time to talk regularly amid the family’s whirlwind experience on the campaign trail.

“A few days ago, during this incredible time we’re going through, there was a brief window when Kamala was back at home. I saw her sitting in her favorite chair, and in the middle of a wild month, I just hoped that she was having a quiet moment to herself. But then I realized she was on the phone,” Emhoff said.

“And of course my mind went to all the potential crises that the vice president could be dealing with. Was it domestic? Was it foreign? Was it campaign? I could see she was focused, and all I knew was that it must be something important,” he continued. “And it turns out it was — Ella had called her. That’s Kamala. Those kids are her priorities, and that scene was a perfect map of her heart. She’s always been there for our children, and I know she’ll always be there for yours, too.”

Before becoming second gentleman, Emhoff was also a lawyer. When Harris announced her 2020 primary campaign for the presidency, Emhoff took a leave of absence from his law firm to support her. When she instead joined the Democratic ticket as Joe Biden’s running mate and was successfully elected to the vice presidency, Emhoff announced that he would leave his firm to join her in Washington.

Since becoming second gentleman in 2021, Emhoff has been teaching at Georgetown University Law Center.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Like his wife, who made history as the first woman, first Indian American and first Black vice president, Emhoff made history in more ways than just being the first second gentleman.

Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris, Tim and Gwen Walz in 2024.Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of any president of vice president, and made historylighting the White House menorahwhilecelebrating Hanukkah in 2021. He also lit the national menorah that year.

The second gentleman is also an outspoken opponent of antisemitism — an issue that he’s said Harris encouraged him to take on in his role.

“I know I have an obligation to our Jewish community as the first Jewish person in this role,” he previously said in January during an interview withCNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

“There’s high expectations and there’s a lot of accountability — I take that extremely seriously. So, no matter how bad I might be feeling personally, it’s not going to stop me from continuing to use my voice, this microphone, to advocate against antisemitism, against hate, and to push our coalitions back together so we can fight this thing together.”

source: people.com